Little Progress Expected on Key S&T Appropriations and Authorization Bills
Congress returned to Washington this week to a long list of appropriations and authorization bills awaiting action. Although the new fiscal year begins in less than three weeks, few anticipate that Congress will complete any of the appropriations measures funding science agencies, or pass bills reauthorizing NASA’s programs, the America COMPETES Act, or elementary and secondary education. Congress will recess late this month or early in October for November’s election, and then return for a lame duck session later that month.
APPROPRIATIONS BILLS:
Fundamental differences between the political parties about spending and conflicting demands from the electorate dim the outlook for prompt passage of appropriations bills funding the Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, NASA, Department of Defense, National Institute of Standards and Technology, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the National Institutes of Health. Congress will pass legislation continuing current funding levels until final FY 2011 appropriations legislation is enacted, most likely in the form of an omnibus funding bill. When that omnibus bill passes will depend on the outcome of November’s elections and whether party control of the House or Senate changes. What follows is a brief recap of the status of FY 2011 appropriations bills:
Department of Energy:
The Senate Appropriations Committee has passed its version of the FY 2011 Energy and Water Development Appropriations
National Science Foundation:
Senate appropriators have cleared their Commerce, Justice, Science bill
NASA:
The Senate Appropriations Committee’s bill and the House appropriations subcommittee’s bill both
National Institute of Standards and Technology:
The Senate committee’s bill
Department of Defense:
Neither the House nor Senate bills have moved through the full appropriations committees.
U.S. Geological Survey:
The House Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee recommended a 3.5 percent increase for USGS. Senate appropriators have not yet acted.
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering:
The Senate Appropriations Committee
AUTHORIZATION BILLS:
America COMPETES Reauthorization Bill:
The full House, after considerable deliberation, passed its version
NASA Reauthorization Bill:
Efforts are being made to resolve differences between the NASA reauthorization bills passed by the full Senate
Elementary and Secondary Education Act:
It now appears there will not be enough time for either the House or Senate to move a reauthorization bill in this legislative year.